Exhibition as Marketing tool and its practices in Ethiopia; observations in Finfinnee (Addis Ababa) city

Abstract

The landscape of marketing has become changing and growing in this contemporary world where there are new and innovative types of aspects of doing business. Merely producing a product which has a unique feature in the market has no value unless it is properly promoted to the target market. Nowadays Exhibition has become a tool to promote organizational product and services. It is one of the oldest forms of promoting the sales of products. Trade shows and exhibition provide opportunities for face-to-face contact with prospects, enable new companies to create a viable customer base in a short period of time, and allow small and mid-size companies that may not be visited on a regular basis to become familiar with suppliers, customers and vendors. Currently, Exhibition is one of the promotion tool which is showing an advancement in Ethiopia. In addition to promoting products to the current and prospective target market exhibition has a potential to contribute to economy of the country. In Ethiopia when there is holiday or holiday is approaching there are always the micro and small scale enterprises, medium as well as large enterprises start selling their products on street or in exhibition center.